why do you carry a gun man nothing happens here

[cigarmanva]

I live in charlottesville and a few weeks ago I was at the cigar shop talking to a friend of mine in his 50s or 60s and he asks me "why do you carry a gun man, nothing ever happens here" Well I see him today and he asks if I'm carrying, I'm not my new holster hasn't come in yet. I said no I'm not but i should be after the robbery last night. He asks what robbery and I respond with the one that was 8 blocks from my apartment.

May 11, 2010

Charlottesville Police are investigating a home invasion that occurred shortly after midnight Tuesday morning.

Police were called to the 1200 block of Wertland Street, near the UVa. Corner, around 12:30am. Seven male University of Virginia students were inside at the time.

Police say the front door was slightly open. They say two males entered the house, one carrying a handgun. The suspects allegedly pointed the gun at the victims, asking for cell phones and cash.

University Police say the assailants robbed several victims at gunpoint before fleeing the area in a gold or brown car. Some of the people in the house chased after the suspects, as one of the suspects fired the gun into the air.

The first suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6'1" to 6'2" tall, skinny build and dark complexion. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap. The second suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6'1" to 6'3" tall, broad build and light complexion.

This is an area in which many University students live. Police ask anyone with information to contact the Charlottesville Police at 434-970-3280 or Crimestoppers at 434-977-4000.

The follow is from a message sent to students by UVa. Police Chief, Michael Gibson:

I understand that at this time of year you are focused on exams and other end-of-semester responsibilities, such as packing and moving, and that you may not be paying close attention to your personal safety. This leaves you extremely vulnerable.

The best defense against crime is to be prepared and to take responsibility for your own safety and for that of your friends and fellow students.

Please take a moment to make these few, but necessary, steps part of your daily routine.

Lock the doors to your apartments or houses. If you live on the first floor of a building, close and lock the windows. Do not walk alone at night. If you are stopped by someone with a weapon, do not attempt to fight the individual. And finally, report anything suspicious immediately to the police by calling 911.

It is important that we all do our part to help make this a safe environment. Please protect yourself and your community.

- Michael A. Gibson, Chief University of Virginia Police Department

Between the two high profile murders and the ton of other poop that happens that isn't reported I don't understand how anyone can actually think that anyplace is safe anymore. Be safe, be armed, be vigilant my friends

[OakRidgeStars]

The bad guys never get around to warning their victims in advance, and they always prefer unarmed prey. Which reminds me of what a wise man once told me...

[Iqentab308]

With how dangerous the world is now, do you still agree the age to buy a handgun and get concealed carry permits should be 21?

I personally feel that if you're 16 and older, you should be allowed to carry a gun. Really, with the number of girls being raped and murdered (I read somewhere that nearly 1/3 of all women have been sexually molested!), with the amount of streetgang violence... the world isn't a cuddly place, and sheltering kids and keeping them from being able to protect themselves when nobody else will is doing more harm than good.

Keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens doesn't do any good. Criminals get ahold of them easily, and will always have access to them, why should we citizens be disadvantaged and vulnerable?

[cigarmanva]

With how dangerous the world is now, do you still agree the age to buy a handgun and get concealed carry permits should be 21?

I personally feel that if you're 16 and older, you should be allowed to carry a gun. Really, with the number of girls being raped and murdered (I read somewhere that nearly 1/3 of all women have been sexually molested!), with the amount of streetgang violence... the world isn't a cuddly place, and sheltering kids and keeping them from being able to protect themselves when nobody else will is doing more harm than good.

Keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens doesn't do any good. Criminals get ahold of them easily, and will always have access to them, why should we citizens be disadvantaged and vulnerable?

no i don't, and never have, agreed with keeping people away from firearms. I feel firearms safety should be taught in schools as well as marksmanship from an early age, make cmp or ipsc or both part of gym classes. I also don't agree with the training requirement that virgina and many other states have in order to get your license to carry. In pa there is no such requirement and that's the way it should be if you ask me and you did so now you get to hear about it WIth that being said I'm all for training, I am putting my plans to buy an m&p on hold and putting that money toward taking a training course instead however that should be my choice not the governments. The young woman who was just brutally murdered here in charlottesville would still be alive if she had a shotgun, rifle, or handgun near by that she could have garbed while the guy punched through her door before slamming her head against a wall till she was dead. I'd rather have seen his punk ass laid to rest then her. Let people defend themselves.

The logical flaw in gun control is that while criminals don't care about any other laws they violate they will some how care about gun free zones, "no guns allowed" signs, or any of the other crap that has been forced upon us in order to make us victims. This isn't to say I don't support property owners rights to do whatever they wish with their property, I just wish more would realize that armed citizens aren't enemies of business owners, we're their friends.

[MJB927]

With how dangerous the world is now, do you still agree the age to buy a handgun and get concealed carry permits should be 21?

I personally feel that if you're 16 and older, you should be allowed to carry a gun. Really, with the number of girls being raped and murdered (I read somewhere that nearly 1/3 of all women have been sexually molested!), with the amount of streetgang violence... the world isn't a cuddly place, and sheltering kids and keeping them from being able to protect themselves when nobody else will is doing more harm than good.

Keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens doesn't do any good. Criminals get ahold of them easily, and will always have access to them, why should we citizens be disadvantaged and vulnerable?

I agree that they should change the age but I think 16 is a little too young. You should be atleast 18. At 16 you're still a minor and nowhere near as mature as you are at 18. At 18 you're nowhere near as mature as 21. More people should definitely legally carry guns. The more legal guns that are carried the less these fools have the courage to do these stupid acts. Not many criminals want to take the 50/50 of being shot before you can get the upper on someone you're trying to get over on.

[Vahunter]

I carry a gun because I'm too old to fight and too crippled to run.

[skeeterss0]

to the remark, "Why do you wear a gun? Nothing ever happens around." A good reply would have been, "Perhaps that's why nothing ever happens around here."

[Iqentab308]

18 makes sense to be able to carry a gun like you said. I was just thinking... at 16 VA citizens can drive, but we have to be 21 to get a CC or buy a handgun. ESPECIALLY since I can go out, being 18, and buy ANY gun I want EXCEPT for a handgun. But really, I can't even buy handgun ammo if I decided to buy a carbine! How ridiculous is that?

Not to mention there's a significantly higher likelihood that an 16 year old would kill someone driving than kill them with a gun worn for self-protection. Don't you love liberal gun-control laws?

I think if 18 is too young to buy a handgun, it's too young to serve in the military. Soldiers DO have sidearms, after all, and most 18-year-olds are too incompetent to wield a handgun correctly... right?

[VBshooter]

As long as the elected who are making the laws are snooty ivy league educated jackasses with no knowledge of guns,gun ownership or gun history it will be an uphill battle.

[BluemontGlock]

and this goes back to an ealier argument on 18 vs. alcohol...

the fact you can fight and die for your country but are not able to legally comsume a beer is a travesty... idiot travesty...

if 18 is legal, then 18 should be legal...for anything....

if that age group could only create a cohesive voting block...

[totes6]

if 18 is legal, then 18 should be legal...for anything....

if that age group could only create a cohesive voting block...

They did, who do you think voted in Obama and his Democratic buddies. I hated going to my college classes, because all I heard from everyone was how great the change Obama would cause. And how the only reason they were going to vote this time was, because they wanted to vote for Obama. I guess I was one of the few of the younger population that saw Obama for what he truly is. Compare that to some of the other elections I had been to in the past. I was almost always told I was one of the youngest voters the poll workers saw. And were in fact surprised that I even showed up. I replied that it was a great tragedy that as Americana my fellow generation did not feel the need to participate in the democratic process, but I felt it was not only my privileged, but my duty to do my civic duty and make my voice heard at the polls.

To get back on topic why I choose to carry. Well I am an Eagle Scout. Something that was drilled into my head, "Be Prepared." I have spare change of clothes and blankets in my car always. I have what is commonly refereed to as the "go bag", with several days worth of clothes, snacks and toiletries sitting in my room at home. I have emergency survival kits in both my home and car. I have a fire extinguisher at home. The list goes on and on. Am I afraid that something bad is going to happen, I break down on the side of the road, there is a fire in my house, some natural disaster is going occur? Not really, because I feel I am prepared for them. Is it likely any of those things might happen? It is possible. It is a fact of life that things go wrong. The way you react to it, is just a matter of how you physically and mentally prepared for it. If you ask yourself what can go wrong and then plan out how to FIRST avoid it, and then to handle it if it still happens, you are much more likely to survive. That's why I have chosen to carry, I want to be prepared. I am going to do my best to minimize my risks, but you can't avoid them. Studies have shown even staying at home is a dangerous risk. All you can do is try and minimize them and be prepared.

[Palladin]

@totes6

[allingeneral]

@totes6

I like that too. Good insight totes6!

[gatorbait]

I'm asking here, not presenting it as fact. I don't think I've ever bought a long gun under the instant-check regime, but my impression is that they use it for all store-bought guns. I also think that arrest and criminal records of kids under some age--maybe 16 or 18--aresealed and wouldn't be accessible to the CJIS.

If those things are true I'm not certain--regardless of the vakid rights argument--of the practicability of lowering the age to purchase. If any "fact" in the foregoing does happen to be a fact, that might impact on the matter.

[BluemontGlock]

"who do you think voted in Obama and his Democratic buddies..." - totes

why the american electoral process did ...and opposed to some popular opinions, I am pretty sure it was at least 270 of the 538 electoral college votes specifically ...as we are not a nation of one man, one vote...

and he also received over 51% of the popular vote, which was alot more than just those under 21... sop donl;t be too too hard on your peers... they were just eating the same garbage fed to all of us...

[40shooter]

I carry a gun because I'm too old to fight and too crippled to run.

ME TOO! I may not be as old as you, (I don't know) but I have a knee injury that keeps me from running.

[Eagle4second]

They did, who do you think voted in Obama and his Democratic buddies. I hated going to my college classes, because all I heard from everyone was how great the change Obama would cause. And how the only reason they were going to vote this time was, because they wanted to vote for Obama. I guess I was one of the few of the younger population that saw Obama for what he truly is. Compare that to some of the other elections I had been to in the past. I was almost always told I was one of the youngest voters the poll workers saw. And were in fact surprised that I even showed up. I replied that it was a great tragedy that as Americana my fellow generation did not feel the need to participate in the democratic process, but I felt it was not only my privileged, but my duty to do my civic duty and make my voice heard at the polls.

Word.
I wasn't sure Obama would win because I had so little confidence in my "peers". I thought young people were too apathetic or lazy to actually show up and vote.

[Eagle4second]

"who do you think voted in Obama and his Democratic buddies..." - totes

why the american electoral process did ...and opposed to some popular opinions, I am pretty sure it was at least 270 of the 538 electoral college votes specifically ...as we are not a nation of one man, one vote...

Wait, how is that possible? I'm in college and I didn't vote for Obama!

[cigarmanva]

They did, who do you think voted in Obama

apparently we need a lesson on how the president gets elected in this thread. The popular vote means nothing, the electoral collage decides who wins. one man one vote, one man 8 votes, means nothing.

[firstcavapache64]

Going back to the original post, I live in Greene county just north of Charlottesville. When we moved here my parents said the same thing as your friend, why do you need to carry a gun when you live in such a quiet, small town? Well, in the first year we moved here a police officer was shot and killed serving a warrant on a drug dealer. Then several years later there was a high speed chase that ended when the criminal ran into the Pic and Pac store and took the family that runs the place hostage. He was gut shot by our kick ass sheriff at the time. There is no such thing as a totally safe place anymore. Being prepared is not the same as being paranoid. I was robbed at gunpoint 5 times when I worked as a manager at Dominos Pizza in Washington DC and Baltimore MD. I will not stare down the barrel of a gun ever again and my family will sleep safe in our home. I wish more people would see the value of taking their safety into their own hands, it would lower the crime rate in our country and make criminals really think twice. Also I remember a couple of summers ago when there were gangs of young kids in jeans and white tee shirts beating and robbing UVA students and people around the corner. The Charlottesville police identified the group as a gang. That's a good enough reason for you.